Gianni Infantino Elected FIFA President: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Gianni Infantino was confirmed as the new president of FIFA on Friday after a day of balloting in Zurich.

Infantino secured the majority needed to take the post in the second round of voting, with Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa his closest rival for the position.

Dan Roan of BBC Sport provided the scoring from the decisive round of balloting, which confirmed the organisation's first new president since 1998, when Sepp Blatter was elected:

The new FIFA chief vowed to right the wrongs of previous regimes in his first address after winning the election, per BBC Sport:

"

I accept the result of this election, thank you. I went through an exceptional journey, met many fantastic people who love football, who breathe football.

I want to be the president of all of you, of all 209 nations I want to work with all of you to work together and build a new era where we can put football at the centre of the stage.

"

Sky Sports News HQ posted a clip showing the moment the Swiss was confirmed as the winner of the ballot:

Infantino joined UEFA in 2000 as a lawyer for European football's governing body, working his way up to the position of general secretary. He’s a familiar face for football supporters across the globe too, having hosted various draws for UEFA-affiliated competitions such as the Champions League and the Europa League.

“My manifesto is based on the need for reform and also for a FIFA that genuinely serves the interests of all 209 national associations, big or small, and that puts football and football development at the top of its agenda,” Infantino said, per BBC Sport.

Former England international striker Gary Lineker feels as though Infantino will have a lot of work to do to clean up FIFA's image:

Blatter resigned from the role in June with world football’s governing body immersed in scandal. 

Since stepping down, the Swiss and former right-hand man Michel Platini, who was initially the favourite to win these elections, were banned from all football-related activities for eight years by the FIFA ethics committee over an alleged disloyal payment; they’ve each since had their suspensions reduced by two years.

In 2015, just two days before the previous presidential elections, Swiss authorities converged on the Zurich headquarters to arrest key officials amid allegations of corruption. The United States Department of Justice confirmed it had indicted 14 figures associated with FIFA. 

MICHAEL BUHOLZER/Getty Images

While a new figurehead brings a new hope, with so many key figures—like Blatter, Platini and Jerome Valcke—ushered out of the organisation in controversy, there’s no denying the issues that have blemished the governing body are deep-rooted.

Infantino, while impressing in pursuit of this position, will find it tough to recapture the trust that plenty have long lost in FIFA. But all of those involved in football will be desperate to see a line drawn under what have been a torrid few months and for the organisation to push forward in pursuit of a prosperous future.